19 January, 2012

Brooklyn Winter Ale has arrived in Deveney's; albeit at the tail end of the winter beer flurry but like all of Brooklyn's seasonal's; it's well worth the experiment; especially for the €2.59 price tag.
This pours an amber colour; veering on a brown ale with some reddish tones. It has a nice thin creamy head.
It smells quite soapy; almost like talcum powder with a creaminess and some orangey notes.
Thankfully though; there's no Johnson's baby talc evident on the palate; there's some nice fruit but this gives way to a slightly meaty; savoury flavour not unlike Pennant ale. The carbonation is lively and it leaves a nice prickly sensation on the tongue which results in a really refreshing beverage experience; this almost flies in the face of everything that reminds me of a winter beer... It's good though; really good.
Ruthxx

14 January, 2012

So I'm back...
Although the Yule tide has been and past; I know there are some of you hoarding a couple of stray bottles from your Beer Box. If you are lucky enough to have a Yule Ol stashed in your beer closet; under the stairs or in that fridge drawer that my mother informed me; is to store vegetables; not beer. Today is your lucky Saturday.However; if you tore open the box/ bag and devoured every bottle before Stephen's day; I can't sell you any more... So don't torture yourselves by reading on. This was a Christmas surprise; a really good one; not an Aunty Ann stripy sock special.

I tasted this with my non-craft-beer-drinking sister; Clare. Clare sells wine for a living; her preference being white without food and always red on a Thursday night with cheese and Sunday with a roast; drinks Corona in her spare suburban time and is a fan of a rum and ginger when frequenting the city centre.
This is the first time I've seen her really impressed by a craft beer and here's why...

It pours a deep amber colour with a nice thin frothy head. The kinda beer that you'd like to have a bath in. It looks luxurious and delicious.
Immediately; the nose exudes notes of Toffee apple; burnt sugar and loads of lavender. Salivation begins.
When it hits your mouth; there's a prickle of carbonation teamed with burnt sugar/ toffee and floral flavours but surprisingly enough; they marry really well. There's a hint of sweetness and this gives way to hop acidity and this lovely long finish of lavender and toffee. Really good beer...
It's gone though!
White Gypsy; if you come across this blog post; we; at Deveney's loved your beer!! We'd stick it into the top 7 Christmas beers available this year.
Irish Craft beer at it's best.
Ruthxx